1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to bandages for covering wounds and, more particularly, to bandages with protective structures that shield wounds from further injury and promote healing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bandages are used to provide protection for wounds, cuts, incisions, abrasions, and other injuries to the skin, herein referred to as wound areas. Bandages generally cover a wound area to keep the underlying injured tissue from dirt, contaminants, and abrasions that might dislodge healing tissue or expose the healing tissue to foreign matter that would otherwise impede the natural progress of healing. In this way, bandages enhance the healing process while attempting to shield the injured tissue.
Some types of disposable bandages comprise a gauze-like pad and an adhesive tape strip that extends over the gauze pad so that the adhesive tape extensions can secure the bandage against the skin and cover the wound. When the gauze pad becomes worn or soiled, or when the underlying wound is healed, the bandage can be pulled off and discarded. Unfortunately, the healing tissue can sometimes become entangled with the gauze pad and can result in difficulties or even re-injury when the bandage is removed.
Although the disposable bandage is quite convenient and promotes healing, most disposable bandages provide very little in the way of a reasonably sterile environment for the wound area. Dirt and liquids can pass around and beneath the adhered gauze pad of the disposable bandage and can contaminate the wound area, thereby impeding the healing process. In addition, many bandages do little to protect the wound area from physical impact and abrasions. Such impacts and abrasions can be encountered with everyday activities, including activities such as simply dressing oneself or moving about during the day. Such impacts and abrasions can be very painful, and can even result in damage to the healing tissue. Moreover, many bandages cannot accommodate movement of joints and limbs to protect wound areas. That is, when many disposable bandages are applied to a wound area of a person, simple movement of limbs or joints can destroy any semblance of a sterile environment offered by the adhesive bandage, because the gauze pad tends to be lifted away from the skin when limb movement occurs. The lifting away from the skin allows penetration by outside contaminants and even water, which by itself can impede the healing process.
The description above indicates there is a need for disposable bandages that provide protection for wounds, cuts, incisions and abrasions, and that can accommodate limb and joint movement and also serve as a shield for the wound area. The present invention satisfies this need.